As we approach the anniversary of the death of Department of Corrections Executive Director, Tom Clements, there has been increased media coverage regarding the investigation. Investigators of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and Office of the Inspector General continue to work diligently on this case to ensure we fully understand if any co-conspirators were involved with Evan Ebel. Out of respect for Mr. Clements and his family, as well as the citizens of the local and statewide community, it’s imperative that if others were involved in Mr. Clements’ death that they be held accountable and brought to justice. With that in mind, information has and will be held in the strictest confidence to maintain utmost safety and security in the case. This investigation is complex and involves the difficult task of looking at threat groups and gangs within and outside the prison system; groups who often exist for the purpose of engaging in criminal activity and do so under the auspice of anonymity. To safeguard the integrity of the investigation, specific details about current leads or information investigators are working on cannot be shared.

In a recent article in the Denver Post, the reporter stated an anonymous federal official was concerned that he was named on a “hit list” found in Evan Ebel’s possession and there had been a lack of information from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office about the case. Link to Denver Post article is: http://bit.ly/1p8BE0H. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is not aware of any federal official who has been named on a “hit list.” In addition, all individuals who were potentially at risk were notified as described below.

To be clear, from the onset of this investigation, any information gathered by our investigators which suggested any other persons may be in danger was immediately communicated to those affected and appropriate security measures were put in place. For example, if information was learned that a Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) employee may be in danger, the Sheriff’s Office immediately notified the Office of the Inspector General, which is the investigative body for DOC, so notifications to the employee could be made. The Sheriff’s Office does not have access to DOC employee information, nor do we know the quickest way to reach any specific employee. Therefore, the necessary collaboration was put in place with the Office of the Inspector General to ensure timely notifications could be made. If information was gained suggesting a local official may have been in danger, the affected person, as well as the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction was notified and the proper security measures put in place. This effort and collaboration was exercised on each and every occasion and in the interest of all those involved. Details surrounding specific threats or concerns could not be shared publicly, as that would have only increased potential risks.

We want to assure Mr. Clements’ family, other persons impacted by this tragedy and the citizens of the State of Colorado that the Sheriff’s Office will continue to exhaust all potential leads to ensure that every person involved is held accountable for their actions.

As we approach the anniversary of the death of Department of Corrections Executive Director, Tom Clements, there has been increased media coverage regarding the investigation. Investigators of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and Office of the Inspector General continue to work diligently on this case to ensure we fully understand if any co-conspirators were involved with Evan Ebel. Out of respect for Mr. Clements and his family, as well as the citizens of the local and statewide community, it’s imperative that if others were involved in Mr. Clements’ death that they be held accountable and brought to justice. With that in mind, information has and will be held in the strictest confidence to maintain utmost safety and security in the case. This investigation is complex and involves the difficult task of looking at threat groups and gangs within and outside the prison system; groups who often exist for the purpose of engaging in criminal activity and do so under the auspice of anonymity. To safeguard the integrity of the investigation, specific details about current leads or information investigators are working on cannot be shared.

In a recent article in the Denver Post, the reporter stated an anonymous federal official was concerned that he was named on a “hit list” found in Evan Ebel’s possession and there had been a lack of information from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office about the case. Link to Denver Post article is: http://bit.ly/1p8BE0H. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is not aware of any federal official who has been named on a “hit list.” In addition, all individuals who were potentially at risk were notified as described below.

To be clear, from the onset of this investigation, any information gathered by our investigators which suggested any other persons may be in danger was immediately communicated to those affected and appropriate security measures were put in place. For example, if information was learned that a Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) employee may be in danger, the Sheriff’s Office immediately notified the Office of the Inspector General, which is the investigative body for DOC, so notifications to the employee could be made. The Sheriff’s Office does not have access to DOC employee information, nor do we know the quickest way to reach any specific employee. Therefore, the necessary collaboration was put in place with the Office of the Inspector General to ensure timely notifications could be made. If information was gained suggesting a local official may have been in danger, the affected person, as well as the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction was notified and the proper security measures put in place. This effort and collaboration was exercised on each and every occasion and in the interest of all those involved. Details surrounding specific threats or concerns could not be shared publicly, as that would have only increased potential risks.

We want to assure Mr. Clements’ family, other persons impacted by this tragedy and the citizens of the State of Colorado that the Sheriff’s Office will continue to exhaust all potential leads to ensure that every person involved is held accountable for their actions.